Cigarette-case.



J. W. H. PATTISON.

CIGARETTE CASE. APPILIOATION FILED JAN. 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

' //V|/E.'NTOR 5: Wu Mm nma lv/vwa 555s.

JAMES W ILLIAM HENRY PATTISON, 0F GLASGOXV, SCOTLAND.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3%,1913.

Application filed January 10, 1913. Serial No. 741,255.

To (M e071 0017. it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES l VILLIAM I'IENRY PATTISON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette Cases, of which the following is the specification.

In a cigarette case as usually constructed the cigarettes are held in one half or both halves of the case between the inner side thereof and an elastic band stretched across the case near one end. lVhile this band prevents the cigarettes from falling out when the case is opened, its use adds to the difficulty of obtaining a cigarette from the case without injuring it or those adjacent to it, especially when the case is full, as not only must the cigarette be picked out, but its end farthest from the band must also be raised above the edge of the case before it can be withdrawn endwise from beneath the band. Cases have also been made in which a frame holding the cigarettes was pivoted in the side of the case and could be tilted by the finger to expose the cigarettes, or in which the frame was turned into an inclined position under the influence of a spring to fa cilitate withdrawal of the cigarettes. Such pivoted or spring-controlled frames are however defective, in that the space available for the hinge and spring being extremely restricted these parts are of necessity of delicate construction and thus very easily broken.

The present invention relates to cases having such frames for holding cigarettes and the like, and has for its object to provide a construction of frame of spring blade form, thus obviating the necessity of providing separate springs.

According to the invention the frame is composed of a longitudinal central member carrying two transverse members. The ends of one or both of these transverse members are preferably upturned to form sides to the frame slightly less in depth than the depth of the sides of the case, and the elastic band is stretched between the opposite sides of one or both of the transverse members. Or the transverse members may be joined together by end parts to form a plate like frame with upturned sides.

The central longitudinal member is of spring blade form and fixed to the case, so that the end of the frame farthest from its connection with the case is automatically turned outward to the necessary extent when the case is opened.

The frame may be fitted in one or both halves of the case, and when there are two frames they are so positioned that on the case being closed they do not become entangled one with the other.

In order that the invention and the manner of performing the same may be properly understood there is hereunto appended a sheet of explanatory drawings in which Figure l is an elevation and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of an open cigarette case provided with an example of the improved frames, while Fig. 3 is an elevation of a case of slightly different form also provided with an example of the improved device.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the frames (2 consist each of transverse members joined at'their ends to form a plate of rectangular open form carried by central longitudinal members Z) by which they are attached to the case. The cigarettes are held in place on the one hand by the rectangular part of the frames, and on the other hand by an elastic band 0 secured in upturned and inturned lugs (Z formed on the frames. The central members 72, are directly secured to the case, and the frames being of resilient metal, the central members are so set that. the frames rise to the position shown in Fig. 2 but not farther.

The example shown in Fig. 3 differs from that hereinbefore described in that the frames consist each of a central longitudinal member h from which laterally extend arms 7', k, the upper j of these being bent upward and inward into lugs Z to receive the elastic band 0, while the lower 76 are returned and united to form a flattened loop to retain the cigarettes. The example differs also in that the frames are arranged in known manner parallel with the hinge of the case instead of at right angles thereto, and thus the case may be either flat or curved to fit the pocket as desired.

It will be observed, firstly, that as shown in Fig. 2, the frames only rise up sufficiently far for the cigarettes to be readily accessible, and not so far that they are in any danger of falling out, and secondly, that owing to the slight amount they rise, closing of the case automatically replaces them-this applies more particularly to the example shown in Fig. 8 in that did the frames there rise higher they would interfere with the shutting),- of the caseas it is they do not rise beyond a point where the lugs Z engaging one another assist one another back when the case is closed. Thus in either form the action is quite automatic.

What I claim is A cigarette case comprising an interior cigarette-carryingframe having a body portion, means for fastening cigarettes therein in the open position of the case and a spring metal strap extending from said frame to the case and secured at one end to the latter, said end of the spring strap being" bent at sufficient angle to the length of the strap 15 name to this specification, in the presence of 20 two subscribing wltnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM HENRY V PATTISON.

lVitnesses:

' WILFRED HUNT,

JAMES EAGLESOM.,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents' Washington, I). 0. a 

